Until You Love Me
by Bella.Diggory
Summary: Hermione Granger... there wasn't much I knew about her, but there was one thing I did know... and that was that I was in love with her." CD/HG ON HIATUS - INDEFINITELY!
1. Prologue: Ronald Weasley!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of these characters, places, or ideas. That is all owned and was created by J.K. Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter series.

* * *

**Until You Love Me**

Prologue: Ronald Weasley!

Part I: Barefoot

**HG POV**

"Crookshanks!" I called out through the open window, "Crookshanks come back this instant!" I paused to let out and annoyed huff, "Ronald! Why would you do that!?"

"Do what? I only opened the window, it was your dumb cat's idea to go out it. Not like I said 'Hey Crookshanks, I think it'd be a bloody good idea to go out in the freezing cold.'"

"Ronald Weasley! You can be so stupid sometimes!" I yelled, "He is going to freeze out there, it's under twenty degrees!"

"Oh, come on now, he has a thick coat of fur, he'll be fine! Now get off it, let's go find Harry and..."

"No! No Ronald! No, I can't go with you to find Harry. Because of YOU I have to go save my cat from a said peril!" I said as I slid my legs through the open window.

"Hermione, don't be stupid! It's freezing out there!" He yelled as he grabbed tightly onto my arm.

"Let GO Ron! I am going to go find my cat, that YOU let out!"

"Hermione!" He called as I slid my body through the window, "Hermione, come on, get back inside!"

I ignored him as I quickly walked through the icy grounds, calling out Crookshanks' name every other step, "Crookshanks!" I yelled as the ice covered grass beneath my bare feet began to take its effect, "Crookshanks! Come back here, it's not funny, you'll freeze!! Crookshanks!"

"Damn it!" I whispered after ten minutes had gone by, "Crookshanks... where are you?"

I started hopping back towards the school in attempt to avoid as much frozen ground as possible; which would serve to be one of my dumber ideas...

Icy, cold, slippery, hills... if only I thought sooner...

"Ahh!" I yelped as I slipped down a small hill and landed into a bowl that the hills had created, "Perfect..." I mumbled, "perfect, perfect, perfect!" I repeated sarcastically as I held my right ankle in my hand with the thought's running through my mind: It's broken... I am going to die out here... The cold is going to turn me into a icicle... When I come back as a ghost I am going to haunt Ron for all eternity... Oh Merlin it's broken!

As I laid there awaiting my icy death I began to loose the feeling throughout my entire body, when I thought occurred to me: _I can crawl back..._

And that's when it happened...

Part II: Fallen Angel

**CD POV**

As I continued walking through the cold, dark grounds of the school, I came across an orange Himalayan cat that had burrowed itself against my leg, "Hello there." I said as friendly as possible and I leaned down to pick it up.

It's fur was soft and long as my fingers wrapped themselves around its belly, "You could freeze out here you know, where is your owner?" I asked the non-verbal animal while wrapping it securely in my jacket.

"Let's get you back inside and see if we can't find them." I told the little fuzz ball as I continued on my way through the icy grass.

_Meooow! Meooow! _The cat hissed as it clawed its way free of my grasp; giving me little cuts on its way.

"Hey!" I called as I chased after it, "Come back here!"

_Meow... Meow... Meow..._

I heard the escapee begin to purr as it made its way into a small bowl that the hills had formed, "Here kitty kitty!" I called as I stumbled my way into the bowl.

As I was leaning over to pick up the cat I stopped in my tracks; _What is that?_ I asked myself as I pulled out my want and whispered the spell _Lumos._

I shined the tip of my wand to the figure in front of me and there I beheld the most unspeakably and breathtaking beauty I had ever seen in my entire life.

I was almost too lost in the trance of her beauty to move, or even think, and that's when it hit me: Where are her shoes!? Her jacket, her scarf, her hat!? SHE IS FREEZING!

I bent down to get a closer look at her, "Hey..." I whispered, "can you hear me?"

_Meow_

"Can you hear me?" I repeated, only this time a bit louder.

"Ughhh," The angel moaned, "mmm, ughhh..."

I quickly pulled my scarf and jacket away from my body and bundled her up in them; her skin was pale as snow and lips like violets, "I've gotta get you to the hospital wing." I said allowed as I pulled her up and held her tightly against my chest, "I've got you now... I've got you..."

After Madam Pomfrey had my mysterious angel tightly wrapped and warmed in one of the hospital beds I slowly headed towards the hallway; hoping against hope I would hear her name.

"_You're going to be just fine Ms. Granger."_

Granger... where had I heard that name before? Veronica... no, Mary? No that's not it either... Stephanie, no, Jasmine... no, definitely not... what is it!? Uh... Hermione! That's it! Hermione...

Hermione Granger...

There wasn't much I knew about her, but there was one thing I did know...

And that was that I was in love with her.

TBC


	2. Crush

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter One: Crush

**HG POV**

"Oh, Madam Pomfrey, who was it that brought me here? I'd like to thank them and return their coat and scarf." I asked as I stood in the doorway with the said materials bundled up against my chest.

"Of course dear, it was Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff House." She told me with a smile.

"Thank you." I said with a smile before turning to leave.

* * *

As I entered the Great Hall I was immediately tackled and knocked onto my backside. "Hermione!" It was Ronald Weasley. "You're alright! How are you feeling? Can I get you anything? Are you cold, do you want to borrow my jacket?" The questions rolled off his tongue faster than I could count.

"You can start by getting _off_!" I squealed as I pushed him away from me and stood up. "Honestly Ron, are you trying to kill me?" I asked him as I saw through the corner of my eye an attractive Hufflepuff looking at our scene with his attention focused on me.

"Kill? No! Wait.. you almost died! I almost killed you!?" He asked in a panic as he ran towards me again and wrapped his arms around me.

"Ron!" I shouted as I became more and more annoyed. "Get OFF!"

"Let me make it up to you! Come on, give me something! What can I do!?"

"Well first of all you daft lunatic, I'm fine! And second of all I'll hex you if you come near me again!" The Hufflepuff was still looking at me...

"Alright! I was just trying to be nice..." Ron said with a pout.

"Haha!" I laughed. "Nice? You're funny!"

"What is that supposed to mean!?" He asked as I walked past him. "Hermione!"

I ignored him as he chased after me like a homeless puppy.

"I see you're back from the dead." Harry said as he looked over at Ron and laughed.

"Yeah, you look good." Ginny added in with a smile as I sat down between Fred and Neville.

"Dead?" I asked as I brought my eyebrows together. "Why does everyone keep saying that?" I asked as I set my materials on the floor behind me.

"Hermione," Harry started. "You were nearly an icicle out there, and by the time you got inside you barley had any body heat left. It's a miracle you are alive."

"What?" I asked.

"No I'm only joking, you did look horrible though." He laughed.

"Don't do that!" I yelled half playfully half seriously as I threw a breakfast roll at him. "It's not funny Harry!" I laughed as I threw another roll.

"It's good to have you back 'Mione." Harry smiled as he popped a grape into his mouth.

"Yeah, I know how terribly dull it can get without me." I joked as I took a drink of pumpkin juice.

"Mmm," I said before swallowing my juice. "I'll be right back, I need to go return these." I said as I stood. "Oh, but, first, do any of you know who Cedric Diggory is?"

"Sure do." George began.

"He's the one that's been starring at you." Fred finished as they motioned towards the attractive Hufflepuff with sandy blond hair.

"Thanks." I smiled as I turned to leave.

As I made my way over to the Hufflepuff table I noticed the boy had smoothly and unnoticeably turned his attention to a group of fellow Hufflepuff's.

"Cedric Diggory?" I asked as I came up in front of him.

"Yes?" He asked as a slight amount of pink reached his cheeks.

"I'm Hermione Granger... the girl you rescued the other night." I told him as he gave me a crooked smile. "I just wanted to thank you... and to return these." I said as I reached my hand out to give him his coat and scarf.

"Well, you're welcome. And thank you." He said as he took his belongings from me. "What were you doing out there anyways?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "It was so... I wasn't thinking."

"What happened?" He asked with serious and friendly eyes.

"Alright, well, long story short. My friend Ron opened a window, my cat jumped out, and I being the loving and protective owner that I am jumped out after him." I paused and laugh. "Stupid, really. I thought he would freeze. I didn't take into account when I went out after him that he had a coat of fur and I didn't even have a pair of socks on." I told him as heat rushed to my face. "I really should have been thinking more, I don't know what got into me, I'm not usually that _spontaneous_."

"Your cat..." He began. "Is he a big orange thing with a flat face?"

"Yes, that's Crookshanks." I said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, I thought so. He was the reason I found you."

"He was?"

"Yeah, I found him wandering around. And as I was walking him back to the castle he took off and I ran after him and by the time I found him there you were."

"Hm, so really it was Crookshanks that saved me." I said with a small smile of gratitude for my cat.

"Well I did wrap you in my coat and scarf and carry you to the hospital wing." He said defensively as he looked up at me.

"Yes, you did." I agreed. "And I must make it up to you." I smiled happily. "Do you have anything you would like to do?" I asked him as I sat down across from him.

_Oh, I can think of a few things. _Cedric thought. _First of all I'd like to tell you that I am in love with you and that I know it's foolish and doesn't make any sense because I hardly know anything about you and only saved your life a few nights ago but that doesn't change the fact that your are the most beautiful person I have ever seen and want to spend the rest of my life with you holding you in my arms._

"We could always have a picnic?" He suggested.

"Yes, that sounds great. I can get a chance to know my rescuer better. Who knows, maybe a great friendship will come out of this." I told him with a confident smile.

"And hopefully something else..." He said so softly I barley heard him.

"What was that?" I asked leaning in towards him.

"I said I hope so." He smiled as he cheeks turned bright red.

"I do too. So, how does tomorrow sound?" I asked. "Anywhere you like."

"Tomorrow sounds perfect." He said; smiling brightly.

"Perfect, where do you want to meet?"

"Anywhere works for me, you decide." He said politely, even though it was my treat.

"How about here, tomorrow at noon." I suggested.

"Perfect." He said with a sweet smile. "I'll see you then, Hermione Granger."

* * *

"_Psst_!" I tried to get Ginny's attention away from Harry. "_Psst! Psst!_" I tried again, this time succeeding.

"Hermione?" She asked as she stood from the common room couch and walked over to me. "What's wrong?" She asked, noticing my panicked expression.

"I need help!" I told her in a whisper.

"What is it? Did something happen? Are you alright?" She asked as she placed her hand on my shoulder."

"No! No I'm fine!" I said. "No! Wait... I'm not! I mean, yes, yes I am fine! But something has happened!" I told her as we sat in the darkened corner on the floor behind a small couch.

"Hermione, love, you're not making any sense... what's going on?"

"I think I... this has never happened before!" I hissed as I looked at her with wide eyes.

"Hermione. What. Is. It?" She asked in an almost commanding manner.

"I think I fancy someone!" I told her. "I mean, I don't know! It has never happened before! But I- I'm pretty sure but I don't know!"

"Well, if you do or don't you are definitely not acting normal so my guess is that you in fact _do _fancy whoever this person is." Ginny said with a humored smile.

"What? How can you be sure?" I asked as I realized my own truth.

"Look at yourself!" She laughed. "I have never seen you like this before! Now tell me!" She begged. "Who is it?"

"Cedric Diggory..."

TBC


	3. Picnic

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Two: Picnic

**HG POV**

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed as she shook me. "Hermione! Wake up!"

"What? What is it?" I asked her groggily as I rubbed my eyes and looked up at her through the blinding light of day.

"Did you hit your head in your sleep?" She asked with a humored grin. "You're late!"

"Late?" I asked as I placed my hand over my forehead. "Late, late for wha- Cedric! The picnic!" I remembered as I ripped my covers from my body and jumped out of bed. "How late did I bloody sleep in!?" I asked as I tore through my trunk looking for a decent outfit to wear.

"It's 12:10." Ginny told me as she plopped down onto her bed. "I went to the Great Hall looking for Ron and Harry and ran into Cedric instead. He must have recognized me as your friend or something and asked if you had forgotten…"

"You without Harry, now there is a scary image… anyways, more importantly what did you tell him?" I asked her as I threw a pair of light jeans onto my bed along with a white shirt and matching sweater.

"That you were sleeping and I'd go and wake you." She told me as she folded her arms across her lap. "And me and Harry aren't always together!"

I looked up at her with a doubtful expression. "Okay fine… so we are almost always together." My look remained glued to my face. "I'm alone for showers, bedtime, when I go to the bathroom, third year classes-"

"My point exactly." I told her as I pulled off my pajamas and began dressing myself in the outfit I had selected. "Those are the only times you aren't together."

"Just wait until you and Cedric are together non-stop. Then let's see how much it bothers you." She retorted with a huff.

"We can only hope… and I never said it bothered me Ginny. I was only making a bit of fun." I smiled as I combed out my tangled hair. "Now, how do I look?" I asked her as I shook out my hair and stood for her to examine me.

"Beautiful. Except, I think you should do a bit more with your hair." She told me as she stood and walked over to me. "Perhaps pin some back like this." She suggested as she held a chunk of my hair a few inches behind my ear and pinned it back with a silver clip she had conveniently in her pocket. "Now you're perfect." She smiled; proud of herself.

"Brilliant, thank you Ginny!" I smiled as I leaned in and pecked her softly on the lips. "Now, wish me luck!" I asked her as I headed over to the entryway to the stairway.

"I don't have to." I turned and looked at her curiously. "That's the hair-clip I was wearing the first time Harry kissed me and the first time he told me he loved me." She told me with a smile.

I gave her a gracious smile and was about to run and give her another hug. "Go Hermione, have fun, Cedric is waiting for you!" She laughed as she shoved me out the doorway. "Go!"

* * *

As I entered the Great Hall Cedric spotted me almost immediately, and we walked towards each other meeting in the middle.

"I am so sorry! I overslept." I told him with an apologetic expression. "I feel like such an airhead, I was supposed to make it up to you, and I wasn't even here on time."

He gave me a crooked smile and laughed softly. "I'm sorry-" He shook his head and closed his eyes. "I didn't hear a thing you just said, I was too focused on how beautiful you are." He told me as he reopened his eyes and looked at me with a very peculiar expression.

_Beautiful? Cedric Diggory just called _me _beautiful! Cedric… the man of my dreams, called me beautiful! Maybe there is hope for us yet! Beautiful… he called me beautiful! _I giggled like a school girl before coughing to cover-up my glee.

Cedric, seeming to notice my reaction, smiled sweetly at me. "So where is this picnic of ours?"

* * *

"Cedric?" Ronald asked as he sat beside Harry. "Cedric who?"

"I told you Ron, Cedric is the person who found Hermione the night you made her almost freeze to death." Ginny told him as she poked her head out from under The Daily Prophet.

"And not the mention the first guy she has ever fancied." Harry added with a smile. "I'm happy for her, she-"

"Fancies!?" Ron exclaimed. "What do you mean fancies!? I mean… does she even know him? All he did was-"

"Save her life." Harry said as he nodded his head. "Yeah, right mate, that's not at all a reason to like a person, in fact she should avoid him by all means necessary." He joked sarcastically.

"It's not funny Harry!" Ron shouted as he tossed a pillow at his friends face. "None of us know him, he could be a crazy person!"

"Crazy like knocking someone over who just got out of the hospital wing? Or crazy like listening in on their every conversation and pretending you are dating when you're really not?" Harry listed as he thought of all the things Ron did to Hermione. "Oh! Or my favorite… says her name in his sleep!"

"Shut up Harry!" Ron yelled as his face turned beat red; Harry and Ginny laughed uncontrollably as Ron began beating them with pillows. "You weren't supposed to tell anyone about that!" He yelled.

"I didn't have to, you were practically calling to her." Harry laughed as he blocked his face from the impacts of the plush pillows. "Everyone in a fifty-foot radius could hear you!"

"Shut up!"

* * *

"So, tell me about yourself." Cedric asked as we spread out comfortably across the blue blanket we had set out.

"What would you like to know?" I asked him as I pulled out a chicken salad sandwich from the brown basket and unwrapped in gingerly.

"Everything... I want to know as much as I can about you."

I bit down on my bottom lip and blushed. "Well, I was born on the 19th of September in 1990 in London. I am an only child so there's not much to say there... my parent's names are Mark and Diana and they're Dentists. And on my tenth birthday my parent's bought me a Landseer Newfoundland Puppy that I named Russell." I finished with a smile as I took a small sip of lemonade. "Now, I want to know about you."

"I was born on the 7th of April in 1987, in London. I'm the only child by my parent's Amos and Elizabeth, they both work at the Ministry of Magic. And I have a Norwegian Forest Cat named Phillip." Cedric smiled before taking a bite of his chicken salad sandwich.

"What's your favorite color?" I asked him as I set down my lemonade and slid myself onto my side and leaned my head on my hand and looked over at him. "Your favorite animal, time of day, season."

He smiled crookedly as he leaned his back against the willow tree and let out a small sigh. "My favorite color is violet, don't you dare tell anybody that." He added quickly.

I laughed softly. "I promise."

"I have always loved lion's, sunset's my favorites time of day and my favorite season is winter." He told me as he took the last small bite of his sandwich. "What about you?"

"I'm secretly a girly-girl, so, my favorite color is pink, feel free to tell who you like." I laughed. "My favorite animal's are bear's, and my favorite time of day and season are the same as you."

Cedric smiled as he crawled over to me and laid down on his side and faced me.

We just laid there looking into each others faces for the next five minutes.

And that five minutes turned into ten.

And that ten into fifteen.

And that fifteen into thirty.

"Hermione?" I heard Cedric whispering softly. "Hermione?" His hands rubbed my back softly and I felt his chest against mine.

"Mmm?" I moaned as I slowly opened my eyes; everything was dark.

"You fell asleep." He told me as he released me from his hold. "You were shivering in your sleep so I..." He finished early, knowing we both knew that he meant he held me.

"I don't even remember falling asleep." I laughed softly as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?"

"I don't know... it can't be earlier than 8:30." He said softly as he sat up beside me.

"Well, we should... we should probably get heading back." I said tiredly as the two of us stood.

* * *

"I had a great time Cedric." I smiled as we made our way to the entrance of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I did too." He whispered as he gently rubbed the side of his thumb on my cheek; I closed my eyes and placed my hand over his.

I took a step closer towards him and slid my hand up his chest and wrapped it around the back of his neck.

Cedric leaned his head down and softly rested his forehead against mine; I heard him swallow as he slid his hand up my back and lace his fingers through the bottom of my hair.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him; his blue eyes were looking back at me with longing and something I still couldn't read. He was looking back and forth between my eyes and lips, I could feel his warmth breath on my skin.

I closed my eyes as our lips brushed softly against each other, my spine tingled with happiness as I envisioned the kiss we were about to share.

"There you are!" Ron exclaimed as he burst through the Gryffindor Entryway. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

_Ronald. _I thought as Cedric and I pulled away from each other. _I am going to _kill _you..._

TBC


	4. Ginny's Lucky Hairclip

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Three: Ginny's Lucky Hairclip

**HG POV**

"Do you like anyone Ron?" I asked my redheaded friend the next morning.

"Of course, I like lots of people." He told me, obviously oblivious to my meaning.

"No I mean do you _like _someone, like really really like them?" I repeated myself.

"Yeah… as a matter of fact I do." He told me.

"Yes, well, so do I Ron!" I told him. "And I have never liked anyone before, and do you know what Ron, you may have destroyed any chance I had of ever being with him!" I admitted. "I am a fourteen year old girl who spends too much time reading and not enough time socializing. And I am not exactly the most pretty girl you'll ever meet, either. He on the other hand… he is seventeen and more popular than anyone you have ever even heard of. I mean, I didn't exactly know that until I met him but like I said, I never socialize! He is tall and handsome and perfect! I mean… what would he want to do with a girl like me in the first place? Him even wanting to have that picnic with me was as still is beside me." I went on. "He is surrounded by beautiful, older girls, all day long. And the one chance I had of ever being with him… you ruined it!"

"What!?" He shouted. "Now that's an awful lot to blame on a guy who doesn't even know what you're talking about!"

"Oh rubbish! You know perfectly well what I am talking about Ronald!" I told him as I folded my arms across my chest as closed my eyes. "The likeliness I ever have of being with him… if I ever had a shot before, well, it's gone now."

"Come on Hermione." He tried to soothe me as he rubbed my shoulder. "Out of everything you just described to me one thing stands out to me more than anything."

"And that is?" I asked him as I opened my eyes to look at him.

"He's a jerk." He told me mater-of-factly. "Handsome, tall, surrounded by beautiful girls, seventeen?"

"How dare you!" I shouted. "You don't even know him! How dare you make a statement so rude and brainless!"

"Hermione!" He shouted back. "You have known him for _one day!_ I mean, how much can you really learn from a person in that time period?"

"Ugh!" I huffed in annoyance. "Just… I can't even look at you right now."

"Hermione… come one, don't be like this." He said softly.

I didn't respond.

"Hermione… please." He begged. "Look, I am sure there is someone else out there who you can like just as much, if not more."

"You don't get it do you Ron?" I asked him. "I like him, I really _really _like him. But because of you… I will never have him." I told him as I stood up from the couch. "And in case you haven't noticed Ron, I am not exactly the type of person who goes out and looks for something like this, it just sort of… happened. So no, there is no one else, because he found me, I didn't find him."

* * *

Cedric stood in the library holding an average sized book in his right hand as his left hand sat resting gently against a thick bookshelf. He had a serious look on his face as he focused contently on the words before him.

Ron approached him slowly.

"Hello there." The redhead said awkwardly as he stood face-to-face with the older Hufflepuff.

"Um, hello?" Cedric said back to him as he pulled his eyes away from his book. "You're Hermione's friend, right?" He asked. "The one who was looking for her last night, yes, I know who you are now. Hello. Is there anything you need?"

Ron swallowed; he was not expecting the man to have such comfort with complete strangers, who happen to be mutual friends. "Hi." He said in a dork-ish way as he waved. "Um, yeah, there was something I wanted to ask, or more talk to you about."

"Alright, I am all ears." Cedric told him as he softly closed his book and set it down on the table next to them.

"Well, it has to do with Hermione actually." Ron began awkwardly. "But sort of you too."

Cedric laughed at the boys awkwardness as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Well, you see, Hermione, she likes you. And a bit more than a friend should like another friend, and well, I guess what I am trying to say is, don't play with her heart." Ron told him.

"Why would… why would I do a thing like that?" Cedric asked him confusedly before thinking: _Merlin's beard, Hermione… Hermione likes me! Oh, God, keep it cool man, keep it cool, her friend is standing in front of you, don't look loopy, keep cool!_

"I'm not stupid you know, I know you're seventeen, and I know she is fourteen, and I know that it's not exactly uncommon for a guy your age to take advantage to the fact that she has feelings for you and happens to be younger than you are." Ron said, now with more confidence.

"No, I am not oblivious to that fact either." Cedric told him. "Look, Ron, I appreciate your loyalty to Hermione, by coming here and telling me this. I understand your worry and will gladly tell you that you have nothing to worry about." He said in a friendly way. "I may be seventeen, but that does not change who I am, an age is just an age, I would still feel for Hermione the way I do now if we were both fourteen. I have no intention of using her or taking advantage of her… I'd never hurt her."

"Wait…" Ron did a double take. "You're telling me you have feelings for her?"

"Yes, that is sort of what I was getting at." Cedric told him as he nodded his head.

"Oh, so, that speech I just gave was entirely unnecessary and uncalled for." Ron said in more of a statement more than anything. "And my telling you Hermione thinks she doesn't stand a chance in the world of ever being with you is also pointless?" He asked, this time in a real question.

"Hermione… Hermione what?" Cedric asked as he leaned foreword a bit.

"Thinks someone like you could never like a girl like her," Ron explained. "She gave me this speech earlier of how any chance she ever had of being with you was ruined last night when I came into the hallway… she made it very clear how the only person she wanted was you…" His voice became sad. "How you found her, she didn't find you, but she'll still never have you. And she thinks by you being surrounded by beautiful girls all day even lessens her chances."

"What!?" Cedric asked out a little too loud. "Rubbish! She's the last person I would never want… of course I want her! I bloody want her so much!" Cedric said; regretting his honestly almost immediately. "Um… where is she?" He asked. "I need to speak with her right away."

"Yes, thought you might." Ron sighed. "She's in the common room." He told him. "I suspect you'll be wanting our password next, good luck trying to get me to-"

"What is it?" Cedric cut him off.

"Still Garden; say it to the fat lady." Ron told him on command; ignoring his previous rant. "And there he goes…" He said to himself as he watched Cedric nearly fly out of the library.

* * *

"Still Garden." Cedric said to the fat lady, who looked at him strangely before swinging gently open to allow his instant access into the Gryffindor world.

"Ron," I said in a tiredly-annoyed way as I lifted my head in the direction of the person who had just entered the common room; and blinked twice at my surprise and shock to see not Ronald, but a very tall and very out of breath Cedric Diggory standing before me with wind rustled hair and parted lips. "Cedric," I began. "How did you?-"

"Ron told me the password." He told me as I stood from my nest on the couch.

I licked my lips softly. "Oh, well, um…" I didn't really know what to say, Cedric was here!

"I know you are probably wondering what I am doing here, in the Gryffindor common room." He stated as he began slowly walking towards me.

"Yes, I guess you could say that was what I am thinking." I told him. "I mean I thou-" He cut me off as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his lips softly against mine.

"Hermione." He said softly as he slowly pulled his lips away from mine.

"Yes?" I asked him as I stood wobbly with my eyes closed.

"Never think I would never want you." He told me before bringing his lips back to mine and kissing me once more. "And by the way, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever known. _And I do want you_." He whispered as he leaned down and kissed my neck softly; he slowly traced a trail with his lips from my neck to my collar bone, and from my collar bone to my neck to my ears and cheeks, and then back up to my eager and willing lips, once more.

Warm chills ran up and down my spine at lightning speed as our tongues danced rhythmically together; he was so warm and gentle as he held the small of my back and laced his fingers through the base of my hair.

I fit perfectly in his arms; against him. And I knew then, I was sure of it, more sure of it then anything I had ever been in my entire life that he, Cedric, would be the first, the only, and the last person I would ever be with.

TBC


	5. Not My Problem

******A/N: Hello : ) I have put a poll on my profile that has to do with this story… kind of. Anyways, I really would appreciate your taking it for me, it is important… enjoy the update!**

* * *

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Four: Not My Problem

"Bloody hell! Would you both just _shut up_! Honestly! You've been friends for four years, and you are going to let a little thing like _this _get in between you?" Hermione asked from between them, "Honestly, Ron, he said he didn't do it, do you really think he would lie about something as big as this? And Harry, stop being so damn defensive all the time! So who cares if no one believes you? You know you're not lying so why should other people not believing you bother you, you've never let it get to you in the past so why start now? It's bound to happen throughout the rest of your life so just get used to it, you're Harry Potter for Merlin's sake!"

"First of all, Hermione, this isn't a little thing!" Harry pointed out.

"She said big, Harry!" Ron argued.

"No, she sai-"

"Boys!" She silenced them, "I said little _and _big! It is a big thing that Harry's name got pulled from the cup, yes, but it _is _a _little _thing that the two of you are fighting about it like an old married couple!"

"Oh I see, take his side!" Ron scoffed, "You always do!"

"Shut up Ron!" Hermione told him, "I'm not taking anyone's bloody side, can't you see that? That's what I have been trying to tell you! I'm just trying to get you old fools to listen to reason!"

"Oh, now we're fools!" Ron announced, "Well let me tell you something, little miss know-it-all, not all of us ca-"

"Be quiet!" Hermione shouted as she threw her hands into the air, "You're friends! Best friends! Are you really going to let something as petty as _jealousy_ get in the way of that?"

"Well, maybe we wouldn't have to if he wasn't being so stupid!" Harry told her.

"Harry!" Hermione announced, "Ron! Both of you! Would you just stop with the damn name-calling? You're best friends! And if you really think I am going to sit here and take it then you're wrong! I am sick of being your bloody owl and I am sick of having to pretend to be mad at the other just to appease you! Because the truth is, guys, I am mad at both of you! So, until you sort out this little _tantrum _you're having against each other, then you might as well say goodbye to me as well, because I have had enough!"

Hermione reached down to the couch and picked up her copy of Stephanie Meyer's _Eclipse _and then marched away from them, "If you need me I'll… no! You know what, if you need me too bloody bad, because I won't be here!" She shouted, "Solve your own bloody problems for once." She mumbled to herself as she wiped around and stormed out of the common room with her book held securely beneath her arm.

"This is all your fault!" The boys shouted in unison.

"Me!" They asked.

"Yes you!" They answered.

"What did I do!" They demanded.

"You know bloody well what you did!" They told each other.

"Ugh!" They complained in sync, "Stay away from me!" They demanded before storming off in opposite directions.

_

* * *

_  
"Stupid, immature, foolish, stubborn, children!" Hermione huffed to herself as she bounded down the wet hill leading to the black lake, where she found Neville standing knee deep in the dark water examining a foreign looking plant.

"Hey Hermione," Neville smiled as she planted herself at the base of an old skinny tree a few feet from the shore, "Ron and Harry still at it?"

"Hey Neville," She smiled back, "How'd you guess?"

"What to talk about it?" He offered as he set the plant back down into the water.

"I would, only it's not my problem to talk about. The two of them need to just… grow up and get over it. I mean, why is it so hard for Ron to believe Harry? Harry, who has been his best friend for the past four years who has never, and I mean not _once_ lied to him! And Ron needs to get over this idea he has in his head that everyone just considers him Harry Potter's friend! I mean, hello, it's not first year anymore! People think of Ron as Ron because he is Ron! And yeah, a lot of people don't believe Harry when he says he didn't put his name in the cup, but does that mean it's true? No! But does that mean that Ron can go on and think what everyone else is saying just to fit in? No! It doesn't! And just because Harry is mad at Ron doesn't mean I have to be mad at Ron! And just because Ron is mad at Harry doesn't mean I have to be mad at Harry! And do I agree with Ron? Do I think Harry found some way to sneak past the age line and put his own name in the cup? No! I don't! Because I know Harry isn't dumb enough to pull, or even try to pull a stunt like that! He is Harry Potter! He already has enough unwanted attention as it is! So why in the wizarding world would Harry even ever contemplate doing something like that! And even if so, he couldn't have possibly! Because the cup only selects one name from each of the three school's, so even if he did find some way he wouldn't have got randomly selected anyways because one Cedric, _as much to my displeasure_, had already been selected, and two he isn't seventeen yet and the cup knew that so why would his name come up! So no, Ronald, you're wrong, Harry did not put his name in the cup because it is more complicated than that you oblivious baboon!" She huffed, "But, anyways, thanks for the offer to listen Neville. But like I said, it just isn't my problem to discuss."

"And that there, ladies and gentlemen, is my girlfriend." Cedric said with a proud smile on his face as he appeared beside the two fourth years.

"Hey Cedric," Neville greeted with a wave as he looked up at the Hufflepuff.

"Hi Neville," He smiled.

"Cedric," Hermione smiled, "How long have you been there?"

"Oh," He began as he knelt down beside her, "Just about long enough to hear you _not _talk about Harry and Ron's bickering." He laughed, "Though I must say I agree with your and Harry's behalf, Ron just needs to swallow his jealously and see reason. Everything you said made perfect sense. I mean, if the cup had already selected my name, why would it chose Harry's? It had already chosen Krum and Fleur, so, what reason would it have to chose a fourth? Someone clearly had it select Harry's name intentionally, and whoever that was must have been the one to put his name in the goblet in the first place." He commented as he looked over at Neville, who nodded, then back at Hermione, "And, like Dumbledore said, the tasks are not for the fainthearted, people die in this completion. And Harry's life is already at risk just by being Harry."

Hermione looked down to her book and stroked the cover gently with her fingertips, "Hermione, look at me." Cedric told her softly, immediately picking up on her distance, "Listen, I know that you're upset that I entered the competition, but, I wouldn't have done it had I even thought for one moment that something would happen to me… I need to be here for you. Because I know if something were to happen to me you'd be in pain, and I'd never let that happen."

"Nothing can happen to you, Cedric," Hermione told him as she placed her hand on the side of his face, "You're too important… to me."

Cedric placed his hand over hers and brought it to his lips and kissed her palm softly, "And you're too important to me, Hermione. So believe me when I say I'd never _intentionally_ put myself in danger.

"Why did you do it?" She asked in a whisper, "You knew I didn't want you to."

"I know, love, I know," He whispered.

"Then why?" She persisted.

He waited for a moment and gave her an innocent grin, "Eternal glory?" He told her in more of a question than an answer.

She choked out a laugh before reaching up and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, "Fine," She sighed, "But if you die I am going to have to kill you, you know."

Cedric laughed softly as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, "I know you will," He told her as he kissed the top of her head, "So I guess that means I'll just have to stay alive."

"Promise?" Hermione asked him.

"I promise," He smiled.

"You know if you break this promise I'll never forgive you." Hermione told him matter-of-factly as they slid their arms away from each other.

"Is that so?" Cedric asked her with curious eyes, "Hm, well then…" He began as he pulled her up onto his lap, "… I guess that means that I am going to have to make this the biggest and most important promise I have ever made." Hermione nodded, "How I wonder, am I going to do that?"

Hermione set her book down on the grass beside them as Cedric took her hand in his and stroked her fingers softly, "Hm, how to go about this cleverly…" He wondered softly as Hermione took her free hand and ran in through his hair, "So many ways…"

"Just… hold me," Hermione whispered, "And kiss me, and tell me that you'll be alright."

"I will be, Hermione," He told her as he leaned in to kiss her, "I promise, you won't lose me." He whispered before kissing her again.

"I'm not going to let you loose me, because I could never loose you. You mean too much to me, for me to ever go on without you. So I would never make you endure what I could never go through… that would just be selfish. I've only just got you, and I'm not ready to give you up. I don't think I ever will be." He paused to kiss her forehead, "So no, Hermione, I _promise_, I will not die."

"Oh guys, stop it!" Neville complained from the lake with a sniff, "You've got me in tears."

Cedric laughed as he looked over at the weeping boy, "Sorry Neville," He apologized, "I was unaware you have such attuned hearing."

"It has its flaws," Neville told him.

"Yes, as I see." Cedric commented, "But, for what it's worth it was meant for Hermione."

"I'm not crying," Hermione lied as Cedric looked back down at her, "There's… I've got something in my eye." She told him.

"In both of them?" Cedric laughed softly as he brushed loose strands of hair from her eyes.

"Stuff happens." She shrugged as she averted her eyes away from him.

Cedric watched her with pure adoration as she wiped at her tear-filled eyes, "What?" She asked him softly as she looked back up at him.

"Nothing," He told her, "You're just… you're so beautiful, Hermione. You're my angel."

Hermione being unable to yet fully understand his adoration towards her simply smiled at him and went back to their previous discussion, "This doesn't change anything, you know."

"My calling you beautiful?" He asked with confusion.

"No… your promise. It doesn't change the fact that I'm still upset with you." She paused, "I mean, for all we know you can be giving me an empty promise. What if you had to battle dragon's? Or find something in a burning building before the whole of it collapsed with you inside? Or… or…"

"Hermione," Cedric silenced her, "I _doubt _any of the tasks are going to be _that_ bad. The tasks are designed to test us, not kill us without a second chance."

"But dragon's! And fire! And-"

"Hermione, love, there aren't going to be any dragon's or fire. They aren't _trying _to kill us, we're just kids. I really doubt either of those things will even be mentioned."

_ONE WEEK LATER_

"So, Hermione," Cedric said as he rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Do you remember last week when we were discussing how you were upset with me for entering the competition?"

"Yeah, why?" Hermione asked him suspiciously.

"Yes… well… do you remember when we talked about dragons?"

TBC


	6. Polyjuice

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Five: Polyjuice

Ron walked back and forth, pacing the Common Room with his hands buried deep in his pockets and his head held high.

He had been thinking of ways, for the past hour and half, to break Hermione away from Cedric. Or -more specifically- ways to break Cedric away from her. And, needless to say for his unending pacing, had come up with nothing.

Hermione liked Cedric a lot, that much he knew. Cedric made her very happy, happier than he had ever seen her, even. And Cedric, well, neither of them really had known him for too long, so who was to say she made him happy? Sure, he smiled a lot and beamed at the mere mention of her, but who's to say some other girl at some other point in time hadn't done that to him as well? For all they knew the talk Ron had had with him in the library was meaningless. For all they knew, the things Ron had said to him were all true, about him, Cedric, using Hermione and taking advantage of her young heart.

_That's it! _Ron thought. _Cedric is using her! He has to be! I mean, Hermione had asked him, begged him even, not to enter the competition, but he still did! He knew how much it would upset her, and yet he still went back on his word and did it! That bastard! I told him not to play with her! How dare he use my Hermione!_

_But maybe… _He added more seriously. _Maybe I won't have to break them up; maybe the dragon will do that for me. Maybe… if I am lucky… maybe the dragon will kill him. And then Hermione will have no other choice than to go to me, her best friend, for comfort. And, when all is said and done, she will realize that it is me she loves and wants, and we will be together, and she will have forgotten Cedric ever even existed in her life…_

_Still, _he thought, _precautions must be made; after all, I doubt I'd get that lucky. I'd be lucky if he came out even partly singed. From what I heard the guys the closest thing to a god human's can be… there isn't a thing he can't do, or, so I've heard. _

_But how to break them up… I want to be with Hermione… There's got to be someone who wants to… Hermione! That's it! Brilliant Ron Weasley! I want Hermione! All I have to do is seek out and talk to someone who wants to be with Cedric just as badly as I want to be with Hermione, and convince them to take a bit of polyjuice potion and kiss me…_

"In front of Cedric." He said aloud.

"Do what in front of Cedric?" Hermione asked him curiously. "Honestly Ron, you're not still on about showing off at wizards chess are you?" She asked him. "We all know you're good at it, the best even, but is it really necessary to rub it in his face and boast about it three days out of the week?"

"No," Ron told her with a smile, "I mean, yeah, it is completely necessary, but that's not what I was talking about."

"Oh, what was it then?" She asked him curiously as she gathered her bag snuggly to her side.

"I was thinking about _accidently_ showing him how to distract a dragon and take its attention off of you." He lied.

"You can do that?" She wondered. "I didn't think such a thing is possible."

"Well, it's not… for most people." He lied again. "But then again most people don't have a brother who works with them for a living, and is willing to share a secret or two."

Hermione took a moment to absorb this. "Are you sharing the secret with Harry then as well?"

Ron felt his face drain of blood. "Um, you know, actually I heard Moody is working with him on it…

"After all, one person being able to pull off a way to distract a dragon is suspicious enough… but two. No, Harry'll be fine. Besides, thought Cedric and I might get on better this way, if I help him out I mean."

"Well, Cedric likes you fine Ron." She told him. "It's you that doesn't get on with him that's the problem."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He sighed. "But I figure, you two have gotten so close now, might as well befriend the guy. After all, if you like him he can't be too bad."

"Are you up to something?" She wondered.

"Me?" He asked offended. "Up to something? Are you kidding? You're always the brains behind anything, Harry and I just tag along."

"That's not true Ron, without you two my brains would be just that: brains. You two are the ones to keep my ship sailing." She told him as she strode across the room. "I mean honestly, Harry is the famous one, I am the smart one, and you, you're th-"

"The tag along." He finished for her as he tilted his head to look down miserably at the floor beneath them. "Yeah, I know."

"Funny one… I was going to say funny one Ron…"

Ron looked up into her eyes and began to whisper her name, but was cut off as his sister and Neville -in his book- disrupted them.

"Hey Herm, ready to go?" Neville asked her as he and Ginny walked casually up to them.

"Yeah, yeah I'm ready." She responded with a smile. "We were going to go to the library to study Ron; would you like to join us?"

"Me, study?" He laughed. "Besides, there's something I need to do anyways. You guys… you go have fun with those books."

* * *

"Cho Chang?" Ron asked as he approached the Ravenclaw table.

"Yes?" She responded back with curiosity towards the strange boy.

"I hate to be forward, but, my name's Ron Weasley… I'm Hermione Granger's friend." At Hermione's name Cho twinged a bit, but still listened with polite attentiveness. "And I have a proposition for you."

* * *

"I'm not sure about this…" Cho said softly as she held the glass of polyjuice in her unnerved hands. "I mean, I want to be with Cedric, but is this really the way to go about it? He will see me, only he will think it is Hermione, and I know he cares for her, and it will hurt him to see her kiss someone else…" She trailed off.

"But it won't be her." Ron soothed her. "Not really I mean, I know that and you know that, but will he know that?"

"No, I suppose not. But I… I am just not sure about this Ron. Surly he will tell the difference."

"How can he?" Ron asked. "The only thing he will see is you, or, _Hermione_ kissing me. And with you looking like Hermione it will make things much easier for me, and with your eyes closed you can just pretend I'm Cedric!"

"He is much taller than you…"

"I'm aware." Ron said irritably. "Look, listen, just… Do you want to be with him or not?"

"I do."

"Then drink it! It'll only last an hour, then after that you'll be back to your good 'oll self, and if things work out the way we've planned Cedric will be yours for the claiming, and Hermione mine."

"Doesn't this seem a bit extreme?" She asked. "I mean, you're asking me to kiss you, when all I know is your name, an-" Ron cut her off as he tilted the glass into her mouth impatiently, forcing the vile potion down her throat. The next thing he knew he was staring at not Cho, but his beloved Hermione.

"There!" He exclaimed. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked her with a ear-to-ear grin spread across his face.

She took a moment while covering her lips with her trembling hand. "I think I'm going to be sick…"

* * *

"I don't see why Ron can't enjoy this." Ginny thought aloud as she, Neville and Hermione sat comfortably at one of the back tables by the windows with their books spread out across the table. "If you ask me, studying is much more unbearable when you're alone."

"Yeah, that's probably why he doesn't do too well in some of his classes." Neville pointed out.

"Exactly Neville!" Hermione agreed. "It's not that he isn't smart, he's very smart, it's just the whole studying thing he hasn't mastered yet. I think if he would just swallow his pride and study with others like us, and let others, like us help him, he would do much better in the classroom then he has been doing."

"Yeah, good luck convincing him of that." Ginny laughed. "You of all people know how stubborn that fool can be."

"You know better than me, you're his sister Gin."

Ginny took a moment and let out a quick breath. "True."

"And he isn't even that stubborn, it's just that he doesn't assert himself enough." Hermione began. "He wouldn't _have to_ be so stubborn all the time if he would just stand up and make decisions of his own, ideas of his own. Then he wouldn't feel like he was just a _tag along_ –Ron's words not mine- when he, Harry and I got ourselves into sticky situations. If he would just throw in an idea of his own every once and a while, then maybe he would have more self confidence and be more secure with himself."

* * *

"Alright, here he comes… I can see him." Ron said softly as he and Hermione-Cho peeked out discreetly from the stone railing.

"How does he know to come this way?" Hermione-Cho asked him.

"Well, to be honest, I guessed this place on a whim." He admitted as Hermione-Cho's eyes widened in shock. "She's at the library with my sister and Neville, so, naturally being the case I expected she would have told Cedric… good thing I was right. Otherwise we could have been moving around a lot trying to hunt him down."

"You mean you didn't know for sure!"

"No, that's what I've just told you." He huffed. "But I was lucky, and he is here.

"Now, are you ready?" He asked her in a rush.

"I don't know…"

"Herm- Cho! We don't exactly have time for cold feet right now!" He barked softly. "You want to be with Cedric, I want to be with Hermione. This is literally the only chance we're gonna get to get what we want… Now are you going to just sit here like a scared little girl, or are you going to stand up to what you want and prove to me _and yourself _how much you really want to be with him!"

"Oh this better work!" She said to him and herself as she wrapped her hands around his head and neck and pressed her lips roughly against his.

In response, Ron wrapped his right arm around her waist and slithered his fingers from his left hand into her hair and kissed her back just as eagerly. But as he advanced in his affections she hesitated and pulled back.

"Don't stop." Ron whispered to her. "Don't stop; kiss me… don't think, just kiss me." He nearly begged her, having almost entirely let himself forget that it was Cho he was kissing, and not Hermione. "Kiss me…" He told her again as he looked deeply into her eyes. "Just kiss me…"

"Okay." She told him back softly as she leaned in towards him once more and kissed him deeply and passionately.

She then lost herself to the kiss, and found herself climbing atop him and straddling his lap hastily. Her hands were wild as they slithered and pulled onto his red hair, and his were equally wild, if not more, as they ran all over her back and butt, thighs and arms and shoulders.

"Hermione…" Cedric said softly as the yellow wild flowers he had brought her (or so he thought _her_) dropped loosely from his hands and crashed delicately towards the earth. "Hermione… how could you?"

Hermione-Cho looked up at him as she pulled herself, and her lips, from Ron. "Cedric…" She began softly. "I… I… I don't know what happened…"

"Neither do I…" Cedric responded thickly. "I… I loved you, Hermione, and I still do… I am in love with you.

"I was gonna tell you that today. At the library, but I can see you have other things you'd rather be studying than books at the moment… sorry to have interrupted you, I can see how important your _studying_ is to you." He spat before marching off in the direction he had come.

"I didn't know…" Hermione-Cho began slowly, "I didn't know he loved her…"

"Neither did I." Ron agreed with successful satisfaction. "Well, to each his own I guess. He'll get over it. They always do."

* * *

Hermione sat on her knees before the fireplace in the dim Common Room with tears streaming down her wet cheeks; her eyeliner smeared and her arms lying lazily and uncaringly at her sides with her hands resting sloppily on the rug.

"Herm?" Ron asked softly as he entered the lonely Common Room. "Are you alright?"

"Please don't do that." She responded weakly.

"Do?"

"The only time people ever ask if someone is alright is only when they clearly aren't." She told him. "So do us all a favor and just…" She trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

_This is it…_ Ron thought to himself, while still keeping perfectly composed. _You've got her! Just keep it cool, and she'll be yours before sunup._

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her as he sat himself down gracefully onto the couch, and folding his hands neatly into each other.

"Cedric…" She began. "He… He…"

"He what?" He asked her in false concern. "Did he hurt you? Did he try and ra-"

"He broke up with me." She told him with a sniff.

"I'm… I'm sorry Hermione." Ron sympathized. "I know you two were happy… what happened?"

"He said that I cheated on him." She told him. "I would never cheat on him Ron!" She announced as she turned to look at him. "And the niggle of it all is that when I asked him who I cheated on him with, when I asked him to tell me who he saw me with he wouldn't!"

"Come her love." Ron told her softly as she pulled herself up slowly from the floor and walked shakily over to him. "I'm here," He told her as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm here for you."

"I know that Ron." She whispered as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. "But you shouldn't have to be… you should-n't have to be-e." She broke down crying and threw her hands against her face. Her shoulders bobbed up and down as she wept against him; he tightened his arms around her and soothed her softly.

"It's alright love… It's okay… everything'll be alright… I promise… I promise."

"Oh Ron!" She cried. "I miss him so much!"

"I know… I know…"

* * *

"What did you just say?" Cedric asked with disbelief as he stood with confusion against the stone wall.

"I, um, said that your girlfriend didn't cheat on you… I did." Cho repeated.

"You… sorry, what?" He asked.

"It was, um, me you saw earlier… and not your girlfriend." Cho said softly. "She was in the library with friends… it was me you saw."

"What?" He asked with anger building.

"It's not… okay; don't be mad, I only did it because I wanted to be with you." She told him. "It was polyjuice potion… not Hermione… it was me."

"So what, you… you just decided it was a good idea to break up a perfectly happy couple for a shot of being my rebound?" Cedric asked her. "How long exactly did it take you to convince Ron to go with it? A minute, an hou-"

"He convinced me." She cut him off. "It was his idea, not mine, I only agreed to it… but only just."

"Ron's idea?"

"He wanted, or, wants to be with her. Just like I want to be with you… but I couldn't live with myself without telling you, I saw how badly you were hurt, and…"

"And what?" Cedric asked as he folded his arms across his chest. "Please tell me, and what? You saw how hurt I was so you were going to try and fix me. Is that it? Was that your master plan?"

"No!" She exclaimed. "I mean yes, but I never meant to… I didn't know you loved her…"

"Loved her… if that's the understatement of the- HERMIONE!"

Without Cho being unable to add even another syllable he ran off as quickly as he could, screaming at himself internally at how stupid and close-minded he had been. Hermione would never cheat on him… he knew that! And even if she could, she would never _never_ lie about it so emotionally. She wouldn't… she wouldn't ask who it was she was seen with… because she wasn't even there! Like that ugly bitch Cho had said, she had been in the library studying, just like she said she would be! He trusted Hermione, and he was so stupid to have put emotions before logic… she wasn't wearing the same clothes when he confronted her again about what had happened later in the day!

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

* * *

"Cedric?" Hermione asked as she pulled her head from Ron's shoulder; still in tears. "What are you-"

"Get away from my girlfriend, you bastard." Cedric demanded as he stood stiffly across the room.

"Cedric, what's-" Hermione was confused, and cut off as Cedric began making his way to the couch, slowly, step by step.

"I said; get, away, from, my, girlfriend. Right. Now."

"I'm not sure I know-" Ron began.

"Polyjuice potion." Cedric cut him off. "And a girl named Cho Chang, convincing her to drink polyjuice potion with Hermione's hair in it… sound familiar?" He asked him. "Convincing her to kiss you: and thus making it all but too easy for you to be there for Hermione after I break up with her. Making me leave the girl I'm in love with because of a selfish and stupid child who didn't have what he wanted?

"Anything ringing a bell yet?" Cedric asked him.

"Ron… is this true?" Hermione asked him.

"Yes Ron, is it true?" Cedric asked. "Please, we're all waiting for your response."

"It's not…" Ron began. "It's not as bad as it sou-" He was cut off as Hermione slapped him roughly across the face. "As bad as it sounds… ow!" He complained as he began rubbing his cheek.

"I'm your… you were my friend Ron… my _best_ friend… how could you?" She asked him.

"Because I… because I want to be with you." He admitted. "Can't you see that?"

Hermione slapped him again. "I never want to see you again Ron."

And with that, Ron stood from the couch, and trudged roughly off towards the stairs, and to his dormitory.

Hermione watched him as more tears stung their way to the surface, and she placed her head into her hands and began to weep once again.

"Hermione." Cedric whispered with sorrowful eyes. "Hermione, I am so, so, so, so, _so_ _sorry_." He told her as he knelt down to his knees before her and wrapped her up into his arms.

Hermione pulled her face from her hands and snaked her arms around his shoulders and nuzzled her forehead into the crook of his neck. She then slid her hand into his hair and laced her fingers into it and held it securely. "I missed you."

"I missed you too darling." He told her softly as he tightened his hold around her. "I love you… and I am so sorry that this happened. Can you ever forgive me Hermione?"

"For what…"

"For entering the competition, for ever thinking you could have hurt me like I thought, for ever… for not telling you until now that I'm in love with you."

Hermione pulled her head slowly from his neck and looked into his eyes with her tear-filled ones. She then leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips and whispered. "I'm sorry for not telling you either… I'm in love with you Cedric."

And they kissed, and they kissed, and they kissed.

And in the morning, just before the sun came up, he kissed her again, and told her he loved her again. And left.

And as Hermione walked up the stairs with a smile on her face, she vowed to never speak to Ronald Weasley again.

TBC


	7. Jealousy Will Drive You Mad

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Six: Jealousy Will Drive You Mad

**Ron's POV**

"Ron, what is there left for you to possibly say to me?" Hermione asked. "What, do you want to say you're sorry? Do you want to tell me you don't know what you were thinking or you don't know what came over you? Do you want… do you want to ask me to forgive and forget?

"What you did Ron-! What you did is unforgivable! You saw that I was in pain Ron, and you just sat there acting as if you'd no idea why! You sat there _comforting_ me when the whole time the reason I was in any pain to begin with was because of you!

"I mean what Ron, did you think that Cedric and I would just end and you and I could get together? Is that really what you thought? Did you and that girl really think that once Cedric and I were over you two could just swoop us up into your arms and whisk us away into _your_ happily ever after?

"Did you really think that that is what would have happened?"

"I'd hoped for it." I told her. "It's just… Hermione, we've known each other for the past three years, going on four now, and though I may not have been much of a prince at first, the complete opposite, even, but… could you really not see how much I care for you?" I asked her as I reached out to run my hand through her hair, but she leaned back and I drew my hand back. "You're so… everything, Hermione. You're beautiful, and funny, and witty, and logical, and brilliant… you're perfect. I mean, why wouldn't I want to be with you? You and Harry, you two are the only ones who found me interesting enough to become my friends. And I know that sounds bad, Herm, makes it sound like I only want you because you're the only female who ever gave me a second glance, but that's not why. You're my friend, my best friend at that, and isn't that the best person you can be with? Your best friend? Leaves room for no surprises or reasons to not like one another; you already know everything there already is to know.

"Which is why… I don't understand why you wanted to be with someone you hardly knew rather than your best friend. I mean is it, is he better than me or something? Is he… am I not good looking enough, or smart or athletic enough?"

"Ron…" She began slowly. "It's none of that. Looks, they have nothing to do with why I am with him. Nor do they have anything to do with the reason I fancied him in the first place. My reasons for liking him; loving him, I just can't explain them. Cedric… I know he's not perfect, but he's perfect for me.

"And us Ron, I really didn't know how you felt about me. And even if I did… it wouldn't have changed anything. I love you Ron, like a brother. Like I love Ginny or Neville or Harry, you're all family to me. I would never want anything less or more from any of you. And I'm sorry if that hurts you, but it's not going to change. I love Cedric, Ron, no one else. I never have, and I'm not sure if I ever will."

"You don't know that Hermione. And frankly, it's pretty unfair to even think that when you're still only fifteen. I mean, what about other people that want to, but have never had to chance to be with you, or Cedric for that matter? Neither of you are even weighing out your options, you're just so… _infatuated_ with each other that you won't even give others a chance to see if they can be happy with you, and you with them.

"I mean you can't expect to be satisfied with your life when you've only ever just kissed one person, can you? And I am sure Cedric feels the same way, I am sure he wouldn't want you to feel trapped. If he were me, or I him, I would want you to be able to get a change to see what else there is for you out there, or more specifically, who."

"Ron-"

"How can you really be sure how happy he makes you, or, feel for that matter, when he is literally the only person you have ever been with? I mean, you've never kissed anybody else. So how sure can you really be that he is the one you want to be with? Shouldn't you at least let yourself explore and see if somebody else makes you as happy as he makes you? Or you never know maybe there is someone out there who will make you happier than he has made you."

"Ronald, are you even listening to yourself right now?" She asked me after a moments wait. "You claim to be my best friend, you claim to know everything there is to know about me, and yet here you are accusing me of being merely _infatuated_ with my boyfriend! You are so blinded by jealousy that you can't even see how truly in love with him I am! You can't just except that I am happy with him, and in turn be happy for me! You're the most selfish person in the world Ron!

"How would you feel if the roles here were in reverse, and you had a girlfriend that you were perfectly happy and in love with, but I tried convincing you otherwise? How would it make you feel if I tried convincing you to _expand your horizons _and try being with someone else? Would you leave them and do so? Or would you stick up for yourself and your heart, or would you just go off and make possibly the biggest mistake of your life?

"Why would you risk your own happiness just to appease others _fancies_? I mean, why in the world would you let yourself give up the only thing that has made you truly happy after spending years of being alone and merely moderately happy? I mean, wouldn't you rather say: 'Screw you Hermione, I love her and she loves me, and if you've got a problem with my happiness being with someone besides yourself then we really need to reevaluate the depth of our friendship.'

"Honestly Ron, would you ask Ginny to break up and leave Harry just because Neville likes her? Would you suggest she take a break from Harry to see if Neville was good for her, or better, for that case?"

"Of course not, Harry and Ginny are brilliant together; I'd never do something like that to them. There happy, so I'm happy for them."

"Then why can't you be happy for me Ron!" She boomed as she shot up from the couch with her hand covering her heart. "Why can't you just leave well enough alone!"

"Because I want you Hermione!" I shouted. "I want to be with you, dammit! I want to make you happy; I want to hold you and kiss you and tell you I love you and be the one you come to when you need comforting! I want to be the one to make you happy! I want to be the one to give you that adorable ear-to-ear grin whenever my name is mentioned, and I want to be the one to make you shoot to the stars when you think of me! I want to be the one you sneak off to see in the middle of the night! I want to hold you so bad sometimes it hurts! You're the only one I want to be with Hermione, and you're not even giving me a chance to prove to you how bloody much I love you!" I pulled myself up quickly and cupped my hands on either side of her head and pressed my lips firmly to hers as I finished.

"Don't Ron!" She shouted as she shoved against me with her hands.

"Let me show you how much I love you Hermione!" I told her as I bounced my body back to hers and kissed her again.

"Ron! Stop it! I don't love you!" She cried as I held her tightly against me; I kissed her again. "I don't want you Ron, I could never want you!"

"Hermione, stop struggling!" I told her before cupping my hands tightly around her forearms and shoving her down to the couch. "Just let me in Hermione!" I begged as I climbed atop her.

"Ron!" She screamed as she kicked and hit me. "Get off of me now Ron! Ron- Ron, Ouch! Ron, please!"

The last kick hit me hard in the groin, and I went toppling to the floor in agony.

Hermione wiggled herself up and took off from the couch, but I reached out just in time to grab her ankle and she went tumbling to the floor. She was screaming as I pulled her towards me on her belly, she kicked and struggled to get herself free but I wasn't having that. I had had enough and it was time to prove to her who really loved her, and I wouldn't stop until she knew.

"Let me go!" She cried as I twisted her wrist in such a way to cause her enough pain to make her body twist to face mine. "Ron that hurts! Please! PLEASE! You're my friend don't do this, don't do this Ron please, you're scaring me!"

"Hermione, I love you, and I'm going to make you feel it!"

"No! Ron please! Please!" She screamed as she slammed her fists against my chest and arms. I muted her by slamming my lips to hers, but the little thing struggled and turned her head from mine. _I would be damned if that bloody Diggory had her before me…_

"Ron stop please, please stop Ron!" She screamed. "Ron stop this! Owww!"

* * *

"Ready for those dragons mate?" Seamus asked as he, Harry, Neville and Ginny made their way up the last final steps to the Gryffindor House.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Harry sighed. "The good thing is Moody's been helping out a lot, so I think aside from the nervousness, shakes and potential death I should be fine."

Ginny had made it a point to block these conversations out and so silently jumped ahead of the boys and mumbled _Still Garden_ to the fat lady. The door then swung gracefully open and with it came screams, and the four looked at each other for no longer than a moment before rushing inside to see what all the commotion was about.

"Stop please!" She screamed again.

"I'm gonna make you fe-!"

TBC


	8. Family

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Seven: Family

**Hermione's POV**

His voice cut off and he was ripped from me, and I felt a set of frantic hands wrap around me as I was pulled up against their chest. I didn't know who it was at first, but I knew whoever it was meant me nothing but protection and so I cupped my hands tightly around their forearms and leaned into them.

My heart was beating wildly against my chest and my breathing had never been harder. Neville held me securely in his arms and I trembled against him; refusing to release the sobs that threatened to overtake me as I watched the scene before us.

"What – The – Hell – Do you think you are doing!" Ginny screamed as she threw herself at her brother. "What was that!" She barked as Seamus held her back from attacking him again. "What she refused you again and so this time you _forced yourself _onto her? What the bleeding Christ is wrong with you Ronald Weasley! Can't you see she doesn't what to have a thing to do with you!"

"What the hell is wrong with you Ron!" Harry added in a holler. "You don't do that to anyone, let alone your friend! Did you really think you were going to be able to…? Did you think you'd be able to change her mind by raping her! Did you think that by being inside of her she'd fall in love with you? YOU DON'T MAKE PEOPLE LOVE YOU BY RAPING THEM RON! I mean, have you gone completely mad you son of a bitch!" He bellowed before decking Ron swiftly across the cheek, sending him reeling to the floor; I shuttered and Neville tightened his arms around me.

"It's Hermione Ron! What in the world would ever make it okay to do that to her! NOTHING! She's our friend you bastard! We're the ones who protect each other; protect her! Not become the ones she needs protecting from!

"And did you really think you'd be able to do this without anyone knowing! Did the fact completely escape your mind that sooner or later Cedric would find out, and when he did he would kick the living shit out of you! Did you honestly think you'd be able to just do this to her and then go on as if nothing happened! Did you think Hermione would keep her mouth shut about this? Oh wait, NO, you thought it would make her fall in love with you! You… God DAMMIT RON! What the hell is wrong with you!

"Why would you do something like this to her! Why would you-"

"I love her!" Ron cut him off in a hoarse shout as he wiped at his bloody nose.

"You love – You love – You… You RANK – ARROGANT - ASS!" Harry yelled. "You don't hurt the people you love Ron, not like that! Never like that! Never to Hermione! I mean, did you even _think_ about what you were doing for one second? For one small tiny fraction of a second! Did you ever _think_ that maybe I am hurting her! Did you ever _think_ that maybe she didn't want you? Did you ever _think_ that MAYBE THIS IS A BAD IDEA!

"You stupid pathetic fool! I could kill you!" He was seething. "Look at her for one second and tell me what you did is even a little bit okay!"

His eyes met mine and I clung to Neville.

"Hermione, you kn-"

"Don't you dare touch her!" Harry cut him off as he stepped in the way of Ron crawling towards me. "Don't even go near her! Don't even speak to her! I have seen a lot of stupid in my life Ron but this is a whole new level even for you!"

"Go on then!" Ron shouted at him. "Go on say it, Harry Potter and Hermione's Granger's _stupid _friend."

"You – You – You _stupid_ ass!" Harry hissed. "What the hell is wrong with you! Have you even got a brain! You – Just – Tried – To – _Rape_ Hermione! What the hell else did you think I was going to say! Oh right good job there mate! Or how about: Oh you're a genius, I wish I were as clever as you! Or how's this one sound: I wish I had the same brilliant ideas as you, you're a real crackerjack! Any of those sticking!

"Words can not express how much I hate you right now Ron! You selfish, foolish, idiotic, thoughtless, heartless ass!"

"Yeah what the hell mate?" Seamus asked; no longed holding Ginny. "You don't go around raping people to make them love you; that isn't how the world works. And that certainly isn't how friends treat one another either. I have half a mind to beat the crap out of you myself right here, but I know that would take the pleasure away from it when Cedric finds out.

"I mean like Harry said: when did the thought cross your mind that it was a good idea to force yourself onto her? How would you feel if you found out someone had done the same thing to Ginny? Or anybody else for that matter. Would you still think it a good idea?"

"No." Ron responded from his perch on the floor. "I'd bloody kill the bastard who'd done it."

Harry crouched down to the floor to eye-level with Ron and said with furious shakes, "Then why the hell would you do it to her?"

"You doing it's so grand." Seamus added. "How'd you feel if you heard about someone else forcing themselves onto Hermione… would you still say it was a good idea then?"

"Ron," Ginny fumed as she knelt down before her brother. "You're my brother, and I will always love you. But right now I don't care to look at you or hear the sound of your voice. What you did to her is right unforgivable, and though I will never hate you I am pissed off at you and feel nothing but urges to beat the hell out of you. But I won't do it because I would just hurt myself more because of how angry I am.

"Mum and Dad will know about this. As will Fred and George, and Bill and Charlie. I'd tell Percy but he's such a tight ass and frankly I don't want to deal with him. When I tell them Ron I… Ronald you are the stupidest person I ever did lay my eyes on."

Ginny looked over at me as she stood with a blank expression. I knew she wanted to come over to me, I could see it, but I knew she couldn't because she was too upset; she needed to breath and calm herself down first, and I understood that.

Harry pulled himself up from the floor after Ginny had gone up the stairs to the dormitories. And what I expected was for him to follow her lead, but instead did the exact opposite.

When I opened my eyes from resting them for no longer than a moment, Harry was right before me. And that is when I lost it. I pulled my hands free of Neville's arms and glued them around Harry's shoulders, where he then glued his around my waist and we both cried together for I don't know how long. I felt as Neville left and momentarily lost my balance and began to fall backward, but Harry quickly and swiftly pulled my body closer towards his and toppled back softly against the couch.

I was so mad and sad and shocked and _tired_ and sore that I just screamed ruthlessly into his shoulder, and he pulled me tighter and we both cried harder. Harry was my brother, and I loved him, and him being here for me was good enough; it was what I needed. I loved Cedric, but sometimes family is what you need, and right now, after what happened to me… I knew Harry would just hold me whilst Cedric would be too angry to touch me. And so I clung to Harry like never before. And he held me like it was the end of the world.

"It's gonna be alright Hermione." Harry coughed he was crying so hard. "It's going to be alright."

"I know Harry!" I sobbed against him with my own coughs. "I know."

* * *

Neville marched through the Hogwarts castle with vibrating fists; he had never been so upset and angry in all his life. He knew Cedric would find out sooner or later, by someone, but he couldn't just stand around and do nothing while time was wasting for Cedric to be told.

He turned sharply around this corner and that, waiting to either run into Cedric himself or some other Hufflepuff.

Right – Left – Left – Straight - Up the stairs - Right again – Left – Straight – Left...

_Thud!_

"Hey! Watch better w- Neville?" Cedric asked as he dusted himself off and climbed back up to his feet; helping Neville from the floor. "Neville, you don't look… are you alright?"

_About ten seconds later…_

"Where – Is – He?"

TBC


	9. Expectant Intruder

**Until You Love Me**

Chapter Eight: Expectant Intruder

**General POV**

He wouldn't have done it, Ron simply knew he wouldn't have… he wouldn't have been able to really go through with it. He would never really be able to rape Hermione. He was just trying to see that, if, maybe she did posses any feelings for him. He never meant to scare her the way he did. He never meant to hurt her the way he did…

He loved her, and he just wanted to show her. He would have stopped before it went too far, but now how could he possibly explain that to anybody when they had all seen what he meant for no one to witness? When they had seen what he had never meant to let happen?

If she had just kissed him, once, or told him she loved him, once. That would have been enough, he would have stopped. All he wanted was to know was that she felt if at all, a little bit of the same thing towards him that he felt towards her. But after that… after _all_ of that it was beyond one-hundred percent clear that she had absolutely no romantic feelings towards him whatsoever, hidden or surfaced.

She loved Cedric, Cedric was the one she wanted… perfect Prefect, Quidditch Captain, Seeker, tall, handsome, older, dreamy-eyed Cedric Diggory. So why would she want simple red-haired, chess-playing, insignificant Ron Weasley? She already had as perfect as you can get…

Ron rolled onto his side and opened his eyes and looked at his darkened drapes surrounding his bed and let out a sigh; he had to tell Cedric, before anyone else had the chance to explain to him something that was completely inaccurate. He was never able to tell anybody what he was really doing; they never gave him the chance to finish what he had begun saying…

"_Hermione, you know I love you… you know I would have never really gone through with it, don't you? I would never do anything to you like that. I know what it looks like, and how I was acting… but you have to understand, all I wanted was to know that, if maybe you felt a little bit of the same thing for me that I feel towards you. All I wanted was to hear that you loved me, or even if only once feel your lips against mine, and because you wanted to. Not because I asked you to or because I forced mine onto yours… I just wanted to see if you loved me at all the way you love him. I would have never let it go any further than what had already happened, see, I would have never actually raped you Hermione. I just wanted to see if you, at all…_

"_But now I can see you don't. You love Cedric, and I know he loves you… and I'm just going to have to be alright with that from now on, and I promise I will be. I am _so_ sorry Hermione… please forgive me… please."_

Maybe they would have believed him, maybe she would have… but there was no way of knowing anything now. And besides, her wrist was probably sprained because of him, so why should they?

He was so stupid! She was crying, begging, _screaming _for him to stop, but he didn't… Why hadn't he? Why did he have to be so bloody thick in thinking pushing her farther would change anything when there was in the first place clearly nothing to change?

She loved him, Cedric, and Ron knew it. He had known it since the two of them had gone out on that picnic together; since she came back beaming from it. She looked so happy ever since Cedric had come into her life, and Ron just refused to believe it. He had loved her, too, only the problem with him is that he just spoke up too late.

He'd yelled at her, told her she was being stupid and selfish, when really he was being the stupid and selfish one. He couldn't stand to see her happy with anybody else… and so he tried to make her suffer with him.

And as many times he'd tried convincing himself he hated Cedric, he didn't. There was no denying it anymore; if anything, he loved the guy like he loved any of his other friends… maybe even more so. He was able to make Hermione smile when that was the one thing he was never able to do for the past three years of knowing her. I mean sure, he could make her laugh, but Cedric could make her _smile_. He could make her smile after only a second of being with her, after she had been crying for hours…

And how could you hate someone who had the ability to do that?

Ron sat up slowly and pulled the curtains open while dropping his feet to the floor, and placed his feet into his untidily-laced shoes and stood up, and then made his way down the spiral staircase and headed for the common room.

* * *

**Cedric's POV**

"Still garden," I repeated shrilly to the dozing off fat lady. "STILL GARDEN!"

"Yes, yes, yes! I heard you the first half dozen times dear." She mumbled sleepily.

"Then why won't you let me through?" I demanded with shaking, clenched fists.

"Because, I can't have people sneaking in here that do not belong. It is my duty, as guard to those in Gryffindor House to sustain a safe environment for them, and to be sure no one is using that clever little trick of polyjuice potion, of course. And, so, I have devised a new password, which will take effect twenty minutes ago!

"Now, run along to your own house! It is late, and not just you living breathing humans need rest, you know. Now off you go!"

"Really, you have seen me a hundred times, you know who I am and I know the _old _password. Now let me through!"

"A hundred times is it?" She wondered. "Well, then, clearly I have not changed it enough have I? Perhaps a more frequent change is in order; I seem to have been going lax on security lately."

"Honestly, you big, stupid, fat, ugly, woman," I had lost my already too-thin patience. "You know bloody well who I am, so let me through. My girlfriend was almost raped in there, and I need to be there for her and t-"

"Raped, you say?" She wondered. "But you also said _almost_, did you?"

"Yes, but-"

"As I said earlier, it is my duty to protect those who belong within these walls behind me. I have no grounds or rights to go poking my nose about in their business which has no right to be mine. Say no more of the matter, but understand this: You do not belong in here; you are not a Gryffindor and you are doing nothing more than wasting my time and neglecting me of sleep. So, you insignificant, small, silly boy, go back to where you belong, and bother me no longer."

"Say no more?" I asked her, and she gave me a snooty and temperamental smile and nod. "Alright, how's this for silence?" And I took my already balled fist and meant to land it hard against her flat, pudgy face. But was taken aback and almost fell back as the portrait hole swung open, causing my fist to swing through empty air and throw me momentarily off balance.

"Bloody hell!" I said before I was able to see who had come through the opening. "You've no idea how long I've been trying to get in there, won't let me in, says the password has changed. And no matter how many times I tell her I'm not trying to kill anyone, she just won't let me in."

"The passwords' changed?" A familiar voice asked as he stepped into the light; the portrait swinging shut behind him. "_Balls!_ Now we'll both be stuck out here, and I'm a Gryffindor! That's rotten luck that is…" He trailed off while looking down at the floor between our feet.

"Um… it was actually you I wanted to come and find." He added while rubbing the back of his head and bringing his eyes back up to meet mine, "Something I wanted t-"

"I know perfectly well what it is you're about to say Ron and frankly I don't give a damn." I spat. "I know what you tried to do to Hermione, and how dare you? I mean really! _How dare you_? Who was the one coming to me with warning about not messing with her heart, not hurting her? Who is it claiming to be her best friend?

"I never imagined something like this would ever happen to her, but out of all the people in this _entire_ school you were the last on the list to sink this so stupidly low! Now I admit I have been more on guard about you even since your little polyjuice potion stunt, but never did I think you would try something this extreme!

"I have tried to be nice to you Ron. Really, I have tried to be your friend. And all you have done back to me is give me side glares of hate, jealousy and loathing that you think I have not noticed, well guess what, I _did_ noticed. And even when you try to act like you like me I can still see in your eyes that you don't, and I have never done anything to you or anybody else to deserve that kind of behavior.

"You tried to rape Hermione. And now I ask you, give me one good reason to not rip your throat out, and I may consider it." I was fuming and could hardly keep my stance without throwing myself at him, but I had to force myself to to stop any accidental deaths happening.

He swallowed hard. "Okay," He began. "As I can clearly see you've heard word that I tried to rape Hermione." I nodded stiffly. "But that's not exactly what happened…

"If you want the truth…"

'Why do you think your still breathing?' I wanted to ask him, but stopped myself.

"From the outside, see, it would look like that was what was happening. What with her screaming and all and the fact that I was on top of her…

"But if you knew the truth… The truth is that I was just trying to force a confession out of her that I was sure she would admit. I wanted to get her to admit she loves me, or, kiss me… just some indication that she may have some feelings for me.

"But she never… _popped_, if you will.

"I'm mad jealous of you, to tell the truth. And to see you two all the time: kissing and hugging and snogging and holding hands… whispering to each other and looking at each other, it bloody well kills me. I wanted that so bad with her, still do… and I was so sure she had some of the same feelings for me that I have for her. But turns out, she just doesn't.

"All of those feelings she has, well, they're for you. And I don't understand it.

"I mean, why would she fall so hopelessly in love with someone she hardly even knows, instead of someone she's known for years?

"Is it, is it because he's better looking than me? Or taller? Is it because he's smarter or more athletic or braver?

"I just… jealously drove me mad.

"It drove me mad because, she doesn't love you because of just any of those things. She loves you for, well, you. Not your looks or special skills or talents, or, charm or wit. She just loves you…

"And if she can just love you, without any of your attributes really mattering, then why can't she just love me?

"I tried to make her love me. I kissed her, and she pushed me off of her and told me not to; she screamed at me. But it just made me want to try all the more. And so I just kept kissing her, and she kept pushing me away.

"Eventually it got to the point where I had her down on the couch; I was kissing her all over. And by that point she was crying and begging me to stop… to get off her and let her go. But I didn't.

"Then, after a very impressive fight from her, we were on the ground and she was crawling away from me. I thought I'd let her go then, but, again, I just didn't. I pulled her back by the ankle and that's when she screamed the loudest.

"I was on top of her again, after forcing her to face me. I was screaming at her I'd make her feel it, and she was screaming at me to stop…

"And that's… that's when Harry and Ginny and the rest of them came in.

"Neville pulled Hermione into his arms and held her while Ginny and Harry went off on me.

"And even as they were screaming at me, and after Ginny had thrown herself at me and Harry had punched me… asking how I could ever try and do anything like that to her, I knew I wouldn't have been able to really do it.

"I would have… I would have got close, I think, but when it really came down to it in those last few moments, I would have just told her I was sorry. And I would have begged her to forgive me." He looked over at me again as he finished; sliding his hands into his pockets.

I was breathing slowly and deeply as I looked over at him. I wanted to hit him so bad, and everything inside of me was telling me to, but I couldn't force myself to. After all, I was facing a dragon tomorrow, and I could just take it out on it.

What I really wanted right now was so close yet so far away…

I wanted Hermione in my arms. I wanted to see that she was okay, and if not, then to help her be. I just wanted her… because I loved her, ever since the first moment I ever saw her, I loved her. And knowing how much she loved me… it made me want her in my arms all the more.

But I was just an _expectant intruder_, thinking he could go into the… wait…

I lifted my head, which had been resting irritably on my hand from the sickening presence of Ron, and looked over at the fat lady, who was watching us both with strained nervousness. Probably expecting one of us to take the first swing. But instead of doing anything, I opened my lips and curled them into a half smile and said with a polite manner: Expectant Intruder

"_Damn!_"

And the portrait hole swung open, and I stepped inside.

TBC


End file.
